Centered From Reality

Busing the border crisis to NY, Lindsay Has LOST IT & the Taliban’s Empty Promises

In this episode, Alex reflects on the death of Mikhail Gorbachev and why he was more popular in the west than in parts of the former Soviet Union. Then he looks at Lindsay Graham and why it seems like he is someone who wants access to power and influence more than anything. He recently said that there will be “riots in the street” if Trump is prosecuted. Some think this is just speculation, but pothers think this is a dangerous thing to say. Later, Alex discusses why Gregg Abbott has bused over 9,000 migrants to New York City and Washington D.C.. He discusses that this is cruel and symbolic, but also may be making a point about our broken immigration system. Finally, Alex discusses the economic issues in Afghanistan a year after the fall of Kabul to the Taliban. 

A Risky Bet on Student Loans & What Happens if the Red Wave Fizzles?

In this episode, Alex discusses why Biden’s announcement that the government will forgive between $10,000 and $20,000 of student loan debt is a risk at best, and an unforced error at worst. Alex is not against combating the high cost of educaiton, but thinks that this decision will not solve the problem at hand; it also may irritate voters who did not attend college. Adam Harris writes that “belatedly canceling some student debt is what a country does when it refuses to support students up front.” Basically, instead of making education a public good, the government is making up for it on the back end. Later in the episode, Alex discusses how there are more signs that the midterms may be better than expected for Democrats. However, he is concerned about what could happen as a result. The Republican media has convinced its base that the midterms will go well, that elections are fradulent, and that Democrats are an existential threat to democracy. There is also rage boiling over. What happens if the red wave fizzles? 

The Assassination of Darya Dugina: the Daughter of a Russian Ultranationalist

In this episode, Alex talks about how the United States may see a four-headed, chaotic vaccination run this fall. As Monkeypox has spread, COVID is changing, and now Polio has been found in sewer water in New York, the country may face a multifacted health crisis in the fall. That is worrying with vaccination rates dropping and children behind on their vaccines. Later, Alex discusses the assassination of Dary Dugina, the daughter of Alexander Dugin. Dugin is a ultranationalist and consider a neofascist who is more extreme than Putin, yet has guided a lot of the nationalist and expansionary rhetoric. The FSB has blamed Ukraine and/or Estonia, while others think it was an internal assassination. Alex worries that this way just justify more Russian aggression in Ukraine. 

Rudy Wants to Die a Free Man, Liz Cheney & The New Era of Political Violence

In this episode, Alex discusses how Rudy Giuliani appears to be the target of a probe in the Fulton County investigation into the 2020 election subversion scheme. Ominously, a statement has been put out saying that Rudy’s goal is to die a free man. Next, Alex discusses the primary election in Wyoming where the incumbent Liz Cheney lost by over 37 points to an insane election denier. Liz Cheney held a mirror up to the GOP and they did not want to see their reflection. Finally, Alex discusses Trump’s statement on Fox News after the FBI raid where he said “the temperature has to be brought down…” “Whatever we can do to help — because the temperature has to be brought down in the country if it isn’t, terrible things are going to happen.” Is this a threat? Alex thinks so. 

Toxins in the Rainwater & Pride Before the Fall – Pax Americana and a Reverse Thucydides Trap?

In this episode, Alex discusses a new study out of Sweden that finds that rainwater is also toxic to drink due to CFAS which have basically infiltrated everything from groundwater to the atmosphere. The study found that even Antarctica had excessive levels. Next, Alex discusses how the GOP has clearly given up on backing the blue. According to CNN, “an armed man suspected of trying to breach the FBI's Cincinnati field office Thursday was killed after an hours-long standoff with law enforcement.” The man’s social media posts made it clear this was in retaliation to the FBI’s investigation at Mar-a-Lago. This was inevitable after the right-wing media and GOP leaders called out the FBI and voiced dangerous conspiracies. Finally, Alex discusses how European officials are constantly concerned about the end of U.S. influence and what it would do to the EU and its security. The United States is leading the efforts to help Ukraine and is still an economic powerhouse, but due to internal chaos, many fear it has reached its pride before the fall. Alex also discusses how Sino experts believe that China has peaked and also could be starting to plateau. This is also troubling because history shows that peaking countries can lash out and be even more dangerous than declining powers. China and the United States both have fundamentally opposite views of how the world order should be governed. Could this cause some sort of conflict? Especially if both are no longer growing? 

Defund the FBI: the DOJ Crosses the Rubicon & the GOP Goes Beyond Parody

In this episode, Alex focuses on a new report that former Chief of Staff, John Kelly, said that Donald Trump wanted his generals to be more like the Nazi generals during WW2. This again shows Trump’s ignorant views of history and why he views everything through the lens of loyalty. Kelly also has said that Trump disparged wounded veterans. Then Alex discusses the shocking FBI raid of Mar-a-Lago that occurred on Monday. Alex avoids too much speculation on what will come from this raid, but he does focus on how GOP lawmakers and right-wing media figures are reacting to it. Instead of being silent until more information comes out, they are attacking the FBI and assume that Trump is innocent and that it is a hit job. It seems like they are finally showing that they think Trump is above the law. Even Kevin McCarthy has threatened to hold investigations of the Justice Department and Marjorie Taylor Greene has called to defund the FBI. It seems like the DOJ has crossed the rubicon and things may be getting interesting. Finally, Alex discusses some of the highlights from the primaries in Wisconsin and Minnesota. 

The Forward Party, Child Separation Policy, CPAC & Insulin Cap Cuts

In this episode, Alex starts by sharing some hioarious yet distrubing clips of some of the most cringe moments from CPAC Texas over the weekend. Then Alex goes over a new article in the Atlantic that is over 30,000 words and discusses new revelations about the Trump Administration’s child separation policies on the southern border. The article is called  An American Catastrophe by Caitlin Dickerson and through hundreds of interviews with Trump officials, she finds that these cruel policies were intentional and meant as scare tactics. Later, Alex discusses how the cap price on insulin was removed from the Inflation Reduction Act. In a vote of 57-43, the Senate Democrats could not get enough Republicans over the 60 vote threshold to avoid the filibuster. Finally, Alex discusses the Forward Party and whether it would work as a third party. 

Shots Over Taiwan, Shots Fired in Kosovo & Alex Jones Shot Down

The NFL is back, but Alex cannot spend too much time celebrating because the world has experienced a crazy week. He starts by discussing the aftermath of Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan — China fired over a dozen Dongfeng series ballistic missiles into the waters north-east and south-west of Taiwan’s main island. While China claimed these were “exercises”, Taiwan has responded and many countries have condemned the actions. Alex goes over whether this is a test-run for how China could seal off the island during an invasion. Next, tensions have hit a low since the 1990s between Serbia and Kosovo. Ethnic Serbs still live in a region in Northern Kosovo and the Kosovar government has tried to allow that region some idnependence. However, the government has now passed new laws involving license plates and entry-exit border policies for Serbians. This had led to protests, road blocks, and literal shots being fired. This is problematic because Serbia still does not recognize Kosovo as a country and Alexsander Vucic, Serbia’s strongman leader, has close ties to Putin and has been referred to as “little Putin.” Alex worries that this could become another conflict over territories that has been exagerated by grievance-laced strongmen like Putin, Orban, and now Vucic. Finally, Alex looks into the trial of Alex Jones involving his lies about the victims of the Sandy Hook shooting. Jones will have to pay $4.1 million to the victims. Is this the end of InfoWars? 

Zawahiri’s Death, Primary Chaos & Ambassador Pelosi?

In this episode, Alex starts by talking about Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan. He is torn on the issue and thinks that above all, it demonstrates how America’s policies towards Taiwan are too vague and must be reformed. He also discusses some speculation that if Pelosi loses her speakership in November, she could become an emissary to a place like Rome. Next, Alex discusses the assassination of Ayman al-Zawahiri. The Economist notes that “if Bin Laden was the charismatic face of al-Qaeda, Mr Zawahiri was the brain.” Many also think he was the main planner of 9/11. Alex discusses that while al-Zawahiri deserved to die, his death may not change anything. Zawahiri was no longer a key leader in global jihadism, mainly because it has become more extreme and focused on different goals. Finally, Alex goes over the primary results from Tuesday. He looks at a rare abortion victory in Kansas, troubling results in Michigan, a pyrrhic victory in Missouri, and nothing good in Arizona. 

Politics is Corrupting Language, Monkeypox Failures & Trump in Final Form

In this episode, Alex rants about a midterm strategy that could backfire on the Democrats.  Then he discusses how a man traveling to Indonesia was fined almost $2000 for “smuggling” a McMuffin in his luggage and did not declare. Alex then discusses Trump’s return to D.C. in which he has reached his final form of hate, fear, and grievance. He also had some wild ideas about how to deal with the drug crisis and homelessness. Also, the next big fire in California has its own weather and is a harbinger of things to come. For the remainder of the episode, Alex discusses how the Monkeypox virus has created a crisis in the United States and the public health system seems to be worse off than it was before COVID-19. Alex also discusses how while the WHO has declared this a health emergency, many in the United States are struggling with how to communicate its risks to the public. The Atlantic discusses how “As monkeypox cases rise in the U.S., public officials are scrambling to balance concerns about stigmatization with the fact that the disease is largely affecting gay and bisexual men.” Alex argues that it is more important to actually call the issue what it is and focus resources and messaging on the actual people that are getting impacted by the virus. He turns this into a bigger issue of how public officials are more concerned with terminology than action. He relates this back to Politics and the English Language by George Orwell. Orwell notes that language can be used by politicians or opportunists to mean whatever you want it to. He discusses how if thought can corrupt language, language can also corrupt thought.